Memo

BILL NUMBER:S4418A

TITLE OF BILL: An act authorizing the town of Southampton, Suffolk county, to establish road improvement districts within substandard road zones designated by the town pursuant to the general municipal law

PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL: To authorize the Southampton Town Board to establish road improvement districts within substandard road zones designated by the town pursuant to the General Municipal Law.

SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS: Section 1. An act to permit the Town of Southampton to establish a special road improvement district or districts pursuant to Article 12 and 12-A of the town law.

Section 2. The purpose of a road improvement district in the town of Southampton shall be to permit the town to improve private substandard roads located within substandard road zones designated by the Southampton Town Board, pursuant to Article 15 of the General Municipal Law, in order to meet the standard for dedication and acceptance into the town highway system. Such improvements, construction, or reconstruction shall be subject to and in accordance with the applicable provisions of the highway law with procedures established by the New York State Department of Transportation. Once improvements are completed, said road shall be dedicated and accepted into the town highway system.

Section 3. Provides that any road improved pursuant to this act which is dedicated and accepted into the town highway system shall thereafter be maintained as a public highway. Such maintenance shall become a general town charge and no longer a charge of the road improvement district. Once all private substandard roads located within such district have been dedicated and accepted into the town highway system, the district shall be deemed dissolved and discontinued.

Section 4. Provides for an immediate effective date.

JUSTIFICATION: There is approximately 117 miles of unimproved roadways in the Town of Southampton. Passage on many unimproved roads is becoming more and more difficult by residents because they are in dire need of significant repair. With the increased frequency and intensity of coastal storms hitting the area, potential safety concerns have also arisen because the hazardous conditions of unimproved roads could severely hinder a resident's access to help during an emergency situation. As such, the Southampton Town Board has been in discussions with members of an advisory committee formed by concerned residents on finding a way to make it easier and less expensive to maintain areas of troublesome unimproved roads.

This legislation would offer a solution to allow the Town of Southampton to address the concerns of affected residents by authorizing the Southampton Town Board to establish road improvement districts within substandard road zones designated by the town pursuant to the General Municipal Law.

PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: 2013: New Legislation.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS: None to the state.

EFFECTIVE DATE: This act shall take effect immediately.

Text

IN SENATE -- Introduced by Sen. LAVALLE -- read twice and ordered print-
ed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Local Govern-
ment -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as
amended and recommitted to said committee
IN ASSEMBLY -- Introduced by M. of A. THIELE -- read once and referred
to the Committee on Local Governments -- committee discharged, bill
amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said commit-
tee
AN ACT authorizing the town of Southampton, Suffolk county, to establish
road improvement districts within substandard road zones designated by
the town pursuant to the general municipal law
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The town of Southampton, in the county of Suffolk, is here-
by authorized to establish a special road improvement district or
districts pursuant to article 12 and 12-A of the town law. Such road
improvement district or districts shall be established, funded, operated
and otherwise controlled by the provisions of articles 12 and 12-A of
the town law and the provisions of this act. To the extent that the
provisions of this act shall in any way be in conflict with article 12
and 12-A of the town law, the provisions of this act shall be control-
ling.
S 2. The purpose of a road improvement district in the town of South-
ampton, county of Suffolk shall be to permit the town to improve private
substandard roads located within substandard road zones designated by
the town board of the town of Southampton, pursuant to article 15 of the
general municipal law, in order to meet the standard for dedication and
acceptance into the town highway system. Any such improvements,
construction, or reconstruction shall be subject to and in accordance
with the applicable provisions of the highway law and with procedures

EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08901-02-3

S. 4418--A 2 A. 6429--A

established by the New York state department of transportation. After
such improvements are completed, said roads shall be dedicated and
accepted into the town highway system.
S 3. Any road improved pursuant to this act which is dedicated and
accepted into the town highway system shall thereafter be maintained as
a public highway. Such maintenance shall become a general town charge
and no longer a charge of the road improvement district. When all
private substandard roads located within such district have been dedi-
cated and accepted into the town highway system, the district shall be
deemed dissolved and discontinued.
S 4. This act shall take effect immediately.

Comments

Open Legislation comments facilitate discussion of New York State legislation. All comments are subject to moderation.
Comments deemed off-topic, commercial, campaign-related, self-promotional; or that contain profanity or hate speech;
or that link to sites outside of the nysenate.gov domain are not permitted, and will not be published. Comment moderation
is generally performed Monday through Friday.